It will be fifty years this November that president John F. Kennedy was assassinated as he -- through downtown Dallas and National Geographic is recognizing. The historic event with a film adaptation of bill O Reilly's book. Killing Kennedy. And joining us today is Michelle Trachtenberg who plays Lee Harvey Oswald wife marina. In the film shows joining us Michelle let's being with us thinks that your performance in this film is really. Been getting so much attention because it is such an unusual role. Thank you -- and an obvious -- the performance. Is getting a lot of accolades. It's. Thank you -- I was obviously but that -- very exciting yet it was them. An incredible challenge. -- Oswald is the only he person out of the main players that is actually still alive. She's in her seventies and her daughters from -- -- -- in their fifties -- grandchildren and so on and so forth. So it was incredibly daunting where is -- Judy -- and I would discuss the daunting task of taking on him Jackie O and rob I would discuss taking on JFK and coming -- have played them before -- and it really played many. And I sort of -- what if she was sitting on her couch you know -- and watching with me relax and wanted to make sure they honored her living legacy in every single way. And I would hope that she feels that because I am of Russian descent Seau was might be just -- -- -- -- American. Actress. Just you know -- -- -- -- -- put on the poster in there. -- -- was very intimidating but it did -- -- research and everything that it possibly get my hands on did you speak with their did you did you talk with -- at all. I didn't I knew that. Injuring Warren commission time I believe she -- -- to her husband's guilt and then after immediately after. The decisions came down. She switched everything so that a husband was innocent and I was able to find a YouTube clip. Of her at the thirtieth anniversary and she is very adamant that her husband was and sentenced. And I just never really felt that it would be polite to disrespect. Her -- has our movie does. -- -- the lone gunman theory that Lee Harvey Oswald is the only him -- that shot. Our 35 president. And -- I didn't -- anything to be other than her her request. And -- about secrecy you've got kind of that pressure in the back of your money loss of the pressure that your. It's a Philip -- of a book adaptations of -- that there's a lot like outside influences as an actress and that's going to be difficult -- you know the day. You still have to be kind of treat yourself and your abilities and -- otherwise he would have been cast for the -- clearly. Yeah I mean though the Russian was the biggest thing -- on my mind so it was less and the fact that she is -- so with less about the adaptation because they think technically -- the the weight of the stress of those kinds of things would fallen -- soldiers arguably he is the title character. But I -- just I worked my. You know -- -- to you. Get the Russian perfected because whereas -- reps speaking Russian this is a completely different form -- -- this is you know how housewife spoke in the late fifties early sixties which is completely dramatically different and the slaying. You know we're all used in whatever language we speak today. And and recon G-8 meetings and speaking in the masculine -- the -- the formal or informal. And I was very lucky enough to have my mom his. Morning rush be able to help me translate the entire script and any words that I didn't know like you know guns or don't shoot. And after -- lining in English translated in my head only one point two seconds in Russian and spit it out and -- and -- to stay in the moment so. And did -- write an -- and I'll tell you you can't separate sexy. I think obviously you misty you immerse yourself in this rolling and you did a great deal homework -- research on this it was something strike you in the work that you discovered. About JFK about his presidency about about his assassination. Well I mean actually a part of it is that I didn't even know of -- existence I actually think most of us don't because you know. It was a moment in time where our royal family. Was at the height of their game where romanticize is -- and and put on a pedestal and then -- and it was the moment that was completely crushed. And you're immediately given -- billing. And you don't think that Dillon has a home life so learning about -- in the was definitely one. Personally about JFK I didn't know they spent most of his time with a back brace and would get -- shots and all these things work. Coupled. You know in in -- performance and all the little facts he found -- a bunch of great little things. -- that he you know threads throughout. We're or what about what -- -- -- -- we're talking about how you guys are talking about the that the pressure of trying to. Illustrated character either someone that is some of that is his past or some of that is currently living but what kind of pressures -- this did you -- talk about. With. Obviously you know actors that that came before us that was more -- -- applicable. -- -- applicable. For our rob. And -- and -- and Weller author who plays Lee Harvey. We basically you know Bill O'Reilly actually did come to set -- and give them notes I I missed out on the Bill O'Reilly notes experience. But -- I guess we all just want -- to. Honor that era and time in history and so we all worked our our our butts off to make sure that. It was as factual as possible and I believe that everything in the movie actually did happen you have the -- parallel story of two couples and it shows all the events leading up to the decision. In no way are we trying to humanize you know the villain but we are showing you how these two men met on that horrible -- A part of part of the story and a part of the event that obviously is not very is not hold very often. What about the little bit in your career Harriet the spy -- trip obviously seems like decades ago now that we're talking about any kind of -- that -- -- all of and that about it and I meant not I'm not in the littoral states. What acts. By -- check it out yet our weather really I didn't. Me I turned ten efforts it principal photography is apparently I was and I mean it's -- -- -- -- this but it Yorkshire was seventeen so Robert and that never silly and -- The person here are -- that was that was not the intended purpose it was not -- But we'll -- it but I now know that the base of the questions to showed us the broad spectrum your abilities that Thomas -- that question I. I have I had up on this one I mean and that yes I have been in it to win it. -- Traffic backed up a pro life and it's it's and that's it -- to -- this night. It sort association. I just I start acting in three years all of them -- way. Always only -- longevity I think that's why haven't fallen CU. You know the repercussions. Being child actor because I've worked really hard and when someone say you know I don't believe she can do this I've -- -- -- an end. That's -- -- that's the way to live your life and career issues. You've obviously got the winning formula. I -- I try yet it's love potion number and I think that this appointment at. And clearly no endorsements at all actually bigger -- -- -- -- nice job I was up -- decided by of course you can catch killing Kennedy the world premieres Sunday November 10. At 8 PM on National Geographic.

This transcript has been automatically generated and may not be 100% accurate.

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